Even a defensive legend like Tony Allen can’t defend his opinion against certain diehard fans. After looking at the reactions his comments on LeBron James drew, he is officially waving the white flag. To the uninitiated, Allen had jumped on the debate about James’ defensive legacy. A week later, the six-time All-Defensive selection is back to clarify his stance and plead for peace.

“I did not know LeBron James was that heavy in media, boy, I promise you, I don’t want no smoke,” Allen said on To The Baha. “Tell all, what y’all call them, the ‘s*xuals’, the ‘Brons*xuals’… Straight up. Tell them they can send some of that love out the mud, man. Hey, since they so, motherf*****g deep, we see how deep they [were]. Damn, they [were] on my head, bro!”

Theo Pinson and his co-hosts couldn’t stop laughing alongside Allen, acknowledging the intense reaction to his initial comments.

“There’s a lot of ‘Bron haters, but there’s a lot of people who love that man, too,” Pinson noted. “Good Lord, boy! It could get real diabolical out there.”

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Allen admitted he was completely caught off guard by the online swarm. The matter erupted after his appearance on The Chris Vernon Show. He argued that James’ famous chase-down blocks, like the iconic block on Andre Iguodala in Game 7 of the 2016 NBA Finals, helped disguise his overall defensive workload over 48 minutes in comparison to lockdown specialists like himself.

“Anytime you put LeBron on, we can make any scenario… Let’s just say OKC. Do you think LeBron starting out the game on KD [Kevin Durant] to risk picking up two fouls?” Allen pointed out. “No, he’s going to stick [Thabo] Sefolosha. So you got 41 minutes of sticking Sefolosha. The game gets tight late down the stretch in the last two to three minutes, you get a chase-down block here and there, then you get the win. Now you’re just a first-team All-Defense? I disagree.”

Allen, whom the late Kobe Bryant frequently praised as the single toughest defender he ever faced, contrasted his own 14-year career as a perimeter anchor for the Boston Celtics and Memphis Grizzlies with James’ role.

Even though James hasn’t been named to an NBA All-Defensive team since the 2012-13 season, critics of Allen’s take pointed out that James frequently locked down elite stars like Derrick Rose and Rajon Rondo late in playoff games.

Allen’s initial rant, however, was indirectly sparked by James’ views on the 2013 Defensive Player of the Year voting. Years ago, James critically pointed out that Marc Gasol won the DPOY award but only made the All-Defensive Second Team. The 2013 NBA MVP admitted it was “weird” and didn’t make sense to him.

That statement didn’t sit well with Allen, who took the liberty of revisiting it. The former NBA star went down the statistical route, claiming that the Memphis Grizzlies finished with the league’s best defensive rating that (2013) season. Allen went on to claim that “If Marc didn’t get it, I should have [gotten] it.”

“I didn’t think not one time LeBron deserved that,” Allen said in June.

James finished second to Gasol in 2013, who received 212 points and 30 first-place votes. Meanwhile, James finished with 149 points and 14 first-place votes.

However, it is important to note that Allen also acknowledged James’ physical peak against Paul Pierce and the Boston Celtics in the 2012 Eastern Conference Finals.

Earlier this year, Bleacher Report released its ranking of the league’s 99 best defenders of all time. The publication went against statistical norms and ranked Celtics icon Bill Russell first. However, the real eye-opener was when you scrolled below, only to find Michael Jordan at No. 15 and LeBron James at No. 22.

The primary argument was that James could smother guards and wings, switch between multiple positions, and turn forced turnovers into devastating transition opportunities in his prime. But as he got older, especially during his tenure with the Lakers, fans often raised concerns about his defense.

Is that factor going to be a problem with his new 76ers team?

LeBron James remains a good secondary defender, and his high basketball IQ allows him to read passing lanes and generate steals. That skill won’t leave him, regardless of Father Time. When it comes to the 76ers, they will need James to contribute more on defense. Similar to how he used to conserve his energy while playing alongside the potent attacking duo of Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves.

Philly doesn’t have the strongest defensive unit with a glaring weakness at the rim (outside Joel Embiid). Expect to see an uptick in James’ rebounds per game statistic, which dropped from 7.8 to 6.1 over the last two seasons.

Meanwhile, VJ Edgecombe and Jaylen Brown are capable defenders at the point of attack. So is Tyrese Maxey, who might have to adjust his approach comparatively next season…

Tony Allen questioned how James’ and Brown’s play styles would fit with the young guard.

“My only concern is, what does that do for my boy Tyrese Maxey with all those ball-dominant guys?” When the hosts suggested that Maxey could take a backseat, Allen repeatedly questioned, “After coming out [of] the mud?”

It remains to be seen how the 76ers adapt after pulling off two huge offseason acquisitions in LeBron James and Jaylen Brown.